Democratic Republic of Congo
Caption: Interactive map presenting country specific data, including universities and incubators contacted for the study and the digital innovations identified at the time of the study
Full Country Report (PDF)
DR Congo Ranked 15 out of 16 Countries in the Benchmark
The benchmark assessment reflects the extent to which DR Congo is unlocking positive pathways towards a digital economy and supporting a vibrant ecosystem of different actors.
Caption: Results from Benchmark Assessment for DR Congo
The DR Congo ranked 15 out of 16 in the benchmark assessment suggesting gaps in some key foundational pillars necessary for a robust digital economy.
The DR Congo scored poorly in all but the G5 digital economy pillar which identifies the presence of policies and regulations that are dynamic and flexible and promote the digital economy. This high ranking is at odds with the rest of the foundational pillars in the benchmark and some of the findings from the policy environment baseline.
| Group | Country | Benchmark Index Score (Adjusted) | Overall Benchmark Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 0.5891 | 1 |
| Mauritius | 0.5839 | 2 | |
| Seychelles | 0.5155 | 3 | |
| Global Median | 0.5064 | ||
| 2 | Eswatini | 0.4222 | 4 |
| Tanzania | 0.4138 | 5 | |
| Botswana | 0.4114 | 6 | |
| 3 | Zimbabwe | 0.3895 | 7 |
| Namibia | 0.3809 | 8 | |
| Lesotho | 0.3802 | 9 | |
| African Median | 0.3595 | ||
| Zambia | 0.3506 | 10 | |
| Malawi | 0.3483 | 11 | |
| Madagascar | 0.3005 | 12 | |
| 4 | Angola | 0.2985 | 13 |
| Mozambique | 0.2919 | 14 | |
| DR Congo | 0.2782 | 15 | |
| Comoros | 0.2497 | 16 |
Caption: Overall Benchmark Assessment Results and Rank for all SADC member states
For further information on the benchmark results and regional trends please read the Situational Analysis Report.
Digitalization is Being Prioritized in Policies But is Yet to be Embedded in Agricultural Policies or Strategies
Three key documents were available for review that focused on ICT dissemination, investment into the sector, and to stimulate development of technologies. The DR Congo also has a National Digital Plan with a clear roadmap of how to attain a digital economy including specific objectives for a range of sectors.
The legal environment is also lagging with outdated laws that likely do not reflect the technologies in use. These frameworks need to be strengthened and harmonized with international standards to attract greater investment in the sector.
No specific sectoral strategy or policy on digitalization within agriculture was identified. Agriculture is frequently noted as a key priority sector in general plans but there is little evidence of an integration of ICTs in agricultural systems in the documents reviewed.
8 Innovations were Identified in DR Congo with Digital Advisory the Most Common Solution
All use cases were present in the DR Congo: digital advisory, agri-digital financial services, digital procurement, agri e-commerce and smart farming. Digital advisory was most common and cited in all responses. Smart Farming is the least prevalent solution in the DR Congo.
Caption: Diagram illustrating number of identified innovations and their sub use case solutions.
The surveyed innovations addressed all stages of the value chain, but most are tailored to earlier stages including planning, inputs, on-farm production, and storage. Access to markets was also a common area.
This is reflective of the pain points those innovations are attempting to address, as poor access to markets and the knowledge gap were frequently cited by stakeholders.
Caption: Diagram illustrating number of innovations identified in each phase of the value chain.
All the innovations were developed by private sector companies, but half of the surveyed innovations cited that they would need additional subsidies or donor funding to remain sustainable. This suggests a clear challenge for innovations to reach financial sustainability.
Collaboration Between Universities, Innovation Hubs, Government, and Private Sector Players is Required to Build Digital Agricultural Capacities
The DR Congo has different innovation hubs and incubators, but they do not focus on Digital Agricultural Innovations. Better support is needed for the development of digital skills for agricultural youth entrepreneurship in the SADC region.
Greater support is needed to strengthen Eb @ le, the National Research and Education Network (NREN) to provide internet services for research and educational institutions – especially the rural or remote institutions, including innovation hubs.
There is a clear opportunity to strengthen the collaborations among universities, innovation hubs, government, private and public sector players so digital agricultural capacities and entrepreneurship are built in sustainable ways.
Icons - credit to NounProject https://thenounproject.com/
